The Dripping Springs Independent School District is long known for the outstanding education it provides to the children of our community. Excellence is not only defined by a solid reputation, but by how an organization adapts to the changing needs of those whom it serves. As DSISD continues to grow steadily, the district is working closely with our community to ensure that we continue to provide the best learning environment for our children in future years. This year secondary students are benefiting from those efforts, as the middle school and high school campuses underwent major renovation projects and "swapped" locations. Our high educational standards were emphasized by this year's state accountability ratings that designated DSISD as an Exemplary district. At the school level, Dripping Springs High School, Rooster Springs Elementary and Walnut Springs Elementary also earned Exemplary ratings, while Dripping Springs Elementary and Dripping Springs Middle School earned strong ratings of Recognized. Thanks to our community for helping to make our school district a very special place.
BUILDING ON ACADEMIC SUCCESS
In the 2010 Texas state accountability ratings, three schools - Dripping Springs High School, Rooster Springs Elementary and Walnut Springs Elementary - were rated Exemplary, while Dripping Springs Middle School and Dripping Springs Elementary were Recognized. It is the first time under current accountability standards that the high school has received the top rating. The district rating is Exemplary, which has not occurred under the current standards that have been in place since 2004 (DSISD was Exemplary for several years in the late 1990s). Statewide, only 19 percent of all districts were rated Exemplary.
CAMPUS RECOGNITIONS
Dripping Springs High School was included in Newsweek magazine's 2010 list of the nation's top high schools, and was the 13th highest-ranked comprehensive 4A high school in Texas on the list. In the 2009-10 Lone Star Cup race, Dripping Springs tied for seventh place among all 4A schools in Texas. Through success in various sports, academic competitions, one-act play and marching band, DSHS accumulated 70 points. Dripping Springs High School was recognized as one of the top high schools in Central Texas by the organization Children at Risk, ranking eighth.
ACADEMIC STUDENT HONORS
Five Dripping Springs High School seniors were named National Merit Finalists in 2010 and one has been selected as a semifinalist in the 2011 competition. In addition, eight Dripping Springs students were recognized as Commended in this year's National Merit Competition. Two high school students have been named National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars as selected by the College Board. Another student has been named an Outstanding Participant in the 47th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program. A total of 77 high school students received recognition for exceptional achievement on Advanced Placement (AP) exams taken in spring of 2010, including three who earned National AP Scholar Awards and 24 who were selected as AP Scholars With Distinction. For two consecutive years a DSHS student has been recognized as the high school winner in the Central Texas
Veterans Day Essay Contest; the winning student reads the essay at the Capitol during the Veterans Day program. In addition, two Dripping Springs sophomores were finalists in the 2010 PEC Youth Tour Essay Contest. Last spring, 13 seventh-graders earned state recognition and four received national recognition in the Duke University Talent Identification Program. More than 200 middle school students have qualified for the program this year. The high school UIL academic team dominated the district meet with 22 firstplace finishes. At the Region 4 competition, DSHS had one event champion and one student who placed third. At the middle school level, DSMS had 23 students place among the top three in their events at the UIL academic district meets, including seven first-place finishers. Many students achieved success at the Austin Energy Regional Science Fair. Thirty-four placed in the top two in their categories, including nine who earned first-place honors. A fifth-grade Future Problem Solvers Team from Rooster Springs placed fourth at the Texas State Bowl; a team from Walnut Springs also qualified for the state competition. Four elementary students placed among the top 2 percent in the nation in the 2010 National Math Olympiad.
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
Dripping Springs has a graduation rate of 99.98 percent and approximately 95 percent of students pursue higher education. Dripping Springs students at all grade levels consistently perform well on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests. An analysis of all tests taken in spring of 2010 reveals that the passing rate for DSISD students exceeded 90 percent on 25 of 27 tests, and the passing rate on the other two tests was 89 percent. The number of students scoring in the Commended range on TAKS tests has risen steadily in recent years. A comparison of last year's results to those from 2003 shows an increase in the number of students scoring at the Commended level ranging from 92 percent (Reading/ELA) to 583 percent (Science). A much higher percentage of students in Dripping Springs record Commended scores than do their peers at the state level. The number of high school students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams has increased dramatically in the last several years. Over a five-year-period, the number of AP exams has jumped from 353 to 545 tests taken last spring, nearly 70 percent received a score of 3 or higher, which can earn college credit for students. The Class of 2010 scored well above average the state national averages on both the ACT and SAT college entrance exams Dripping Springs' average ACT score of 24.2 topped the state average by 14 percent and the national mark by 13 percent. On the SAT, the average total score of DSHS students bettered their peers in the state and nation by 11 and 8 percent, respectively.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACHIEVEMENTS
The Dripping Springs High School marching band, which captured the 4A state title in 2009, won three competitions this fall and was not beaten by any 4A school. During the 2009-10 school year, 10
Tiger sports teams captured district titles: baseball, boys' golf, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, softball, team tennis, girls' tennis, boys' track, girls' track and volleyball. Boys' soccer was undefeated in district play, advanced to the state semifinals, and had four players named to the All-State Team. Volleyball also was undefeated in district play. Boys' swimming was ninth in the state and one swimmer earned Gold and Bronze medals. Numerous student-athletes in all sports received individual athletic and academic honors. At the 2010 HTE National Dance Competition, the Hi-Steppers earned one Judges' Award, received Sweepstakes ratings in all events, and were chosen as Varsity champion in one event. Dripping Springs High School had two national qualifiers in the Thespian Individual Events competition and one student selected for the all-state cast. The DSHS FFA Junior Quiz Team placed third in the State Leadership Team competition. A team of DSHS students advanced to the 2010 Destination Imagination state finals in two events, placing fourth and eighth. The 2009 DSHS yearbook earned the UIL Award of Distinguished Merit and one student took first place in the state individual achievement awards. In 2010 Texas Music Educators Association competition, three high school students were named to the All-State Band and one was named to the All-State Choir. Dripping Springs students accounted for nearly one-third of 255 entries in last spring's Hays County Stock Show, earning Grand Champion recognition in four animal classes (including Market Steer) and five craft classes. In the state Visual Arts Scholastic Competition, 28 students received Superior ratings and two were state qualifiers.
Community Service
Dripping Springs students of all ages frequently participate in community service activities, which is an area of emphasis in the district. Schools and student organization have raised money, volunteeredtheirtime,and collected supplies to support their community.
FINANCIAL DATA AND OVERVIEW
Dripping Springs ISD faces the ongoing challenge of funding the quality education valued by our community while operating under state funding limitations. State funding for public schools essentially has been frozen since 2006 as districts continue to experience rising operating costs. DSISD is a "Chapter 41" district, which means that a portion of Dripping Springs' property-tax revenue is recaptured by the state and distributed to other school districts; that amount was $833,000 last year and is projected to be $1,360,000 this fiscal year. While the current year budget includes a deficit of approximately $3.2 million, this gap will be filled by money from the district's fund balance. Careful fiscal management has allowed DSISD to build a sufficient fund balance to navigate through the challenges of the current economic climate. In September the Board of Trustees approved a 2010-11 property tax rate of $1.49 per $100 of property value, which has remained the same for three years.
Dripping Springs ISD takes pride in its fiscal management practices. The district has earned the highest possible rating - Superior - in the state's Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, marking eight consecutive years for that designation. The district received the highest score possible on all 22 criteria considered in the rating determination. Recently the district earned an upgrade by Standard & Poor's for its school issuer credit rating (ICR) on general obligation debt; it is now ‘AA'.
2009-2010 Revenues General Fund: Total $32,287,872
2009-2010 Expenditures General Fund: Total $32,146,416
DISTRICT FACILITY UPDATE
SUMMARY OF 2007 BOND
The 2007 bond program, which featured the switch of the two secondary campuses and renovations and expansions of both, is nearing completion. The bond program as a whole is on target with its cost projections. Most major projects included in the bond program have been completed. The high school field house and tennis center are expected to be finished in early 2011. Construction on the new DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Program) building is underway and is expected to be completed in the spring.
ENROLLMENT UPDATE
Enrollment shows that growth has picked up pace this year. District-wide, student enrollment grew by about 4 percent. A moderate demographic projection shows this steady growth continuing, while more progressive models extend growth to about 6 percent per year. When reviewing enrollment data and projections as they relate to building capacities, it is clear that the district will be considering additional facilities in the not-too-distant future. A more immediate challenge is presented by the fact that Rooster Springs Elementary is growing at a much faster pace than the other two elementary schools (8 percent in the past years).
A LOOK AHEAD
Recently, the district completed purchase of a 150-acre tract of land at DardenHill Road and Sawyer Ranch Road, an acquisition that was funded through the 2007 bond. DSISD also owns approximately 50 acres on Sawyer Ranch Road north of the High Pointe subdivision. According to enrollment projections, future facilities could include a new elementary school and a new middle school within the next several years. The DSISD Long-Range Facility Planning Team has reconvened with many new members and will study these issues in the coming months.
Gary Steele Broker-Associate, Keller Williams Realty
512-426-9800
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